Not one to mince words or dance around the issue, Gillis responded with guns blazing and took a shot at the Maple Leafs and what he obviously sees as their manipulation of the sports media in the Toronto market:

"Fair value is different for every team that you speak to because they have different players, they have different concerns and different contractual issues that play into what they have available that you might want. The notion that we were asking for too much was floated in the Toronto media by a team that was extremely interested in acquiring Roberto and were using every means possible to try and force us to do something that we didn't think was right. That's nothing new in this business and it's' not the type of pressure that I'm going to succumb too."

Thems fighting words!Botch followed up Gillis' answer on the "too much" question by asking the Canucks President and General Manger to address the notion that " a potential deal with Toronto" is "dead." What did Gillis think of that?

"I don't care, there's a lot of stuff that's going to happen in the first two weeks of this season. If you start giving all-star players away you'll be at the bottom of this league in a hurry. So we have two really good goalies, I don't know what's going to happen with others team - players might not play well, there may be injuries that they have at that position which may change the landscape. But as it sits today, we need to get something in return that is going to help our team and we're not in the business of just helping other teams so...

I'm comfortable with both these guys starting the season here, I'll be comfortable if we finish the season with them. If something happens and comes our way that allows us to improve, then we're going to do it. And it's all subject to Luongo wanting to go to that city. So, it is a little bit more complicated than people like to think but we feel very comfortable with where we sit today with our goalies."Translation: "have fun with Reimer and Scrivens Mr. Nonis, I'm just going to sit back and watch Luongo and Schneider both post .930 even-strength save percentages until someone comes to their senses, remembers how ridiculously good Luongo is, and offers me something helpful for his services."

Uncle dans leg wrote:Is anyone not concerned by what has been revealed about Schneider's dehydration issues. Cory has come clean saying it was a panic attack. I really like Corey but he has had the comfort of sitting in the background with a nice security blanket in ole Lou taking all the pressure as the no. 1 goalie. We have no idea how Corey will fair with the pressure of now being THE guy in the goalie graveyard capital of the world. Luongo has probably been the best goalie this team has had in dealing with the pressures of being your no.1 netminder for the Vancouver Canucks, him and Kirk MacLean. I just worry with Corey's so called anxiety and panic attack issues how he will fair with that pressure and no big brother Lou to hide behind.

I did find that admittance interesting but ultimately nothing to worry about. Why? Well because it happened only once as far as we know and let's revisit the circumstances on which it happened. Canucks take a 3-0 series lead in what many dubbed as one the most important series in franchise history (tough to argue). Then Lu shits the bed badly the next two games allowing the Hawks to gain full momentum. It was shaping up the be the most monumental collapse in not only team history but the League's history. We needed a hero to come in and save the day. Enter Cory Schneider. No pressure kid, just another game. Well that just so happened to be his FIRST EVER playoff start. Nah, anxiety shouldn't be an issue. No surprise it was and what should be surprising was his performance. Up until the leg cramp on the penalty shot, aside from a couple of blunders with the puck, he was simply outstanding in that game. One could argue even though he didn't win the game he played a big part in helping us win the series by settling the boys down with his strong performance and that won momentum back which the team was able to carry into Game 7.

Since then every other of his playoff appearances have come under similar circumstances..coming in and cleaning up after a huge mess and big hole that Lu created. Yet he's performed incredibly well in the little time he's given. Hard to know what it'll be like when he carries the load fully, whether anxiety will remain an issue, but I'll take that chance panic attacks and all over sitting through more of Lu's inevitable meltdowns.

dbr wrote:Except RoyalDude hated Cody Hodgson until it became necessary to sing the kid's praises for his trolling act.

Wasn't he a stumpy legged, undersized, spoiled brat?

For over 3 years he ragged on Gillis for drafting Hodgson.

And of course ragged on Hodgson.

Now he rags on Gillis for trading Hodgson.

And sings Hodgson's praises.

RoyalDude on Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:58 am wrote:In today's game, skating is huge. If you can't skate then you need size unfortunately for Cody he doesn't have size either. I'm hoping for Cody to succeed but I really have my doubts that he will mount to much, at best a 3rd liner.

RoyalDude on Sat Oct 01, 2011 8:50 am wrote:CoHo started out well at the beginning of these exhibition games, but he started to slowly slip back to his old stumpy legged self in the last couple of games. If Cody doesn't ebb the flow his current demise, he will be back home on the farm before you can click two heels together.

RoyalDude on Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:42 pm wrote:But the future is NOW for Hodgson. Everyone from his draft class have all turned into men and are starting to play regularly in the NHL, if he ain't ready now, he never will be.

If you are Nonis, and Gillis is asking for Gardiner, Kadri are you making the deal? Further weakening an already weak defense, sapping your organization of your most promising young defenseman for a veteren goalie WHO WILL NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE for that shite team in Toronto. Wake up dude, smell the coffee.

You all will be coming to the realization soon that Gillis is an extremely overrated GM, he has mishandled a lot of stuff here in Vancouver. I agree that Gillis is a good Hockey Executive on the back end but he should not be a GM. He shouldn't have quit his day job.

Just wait when 'CENTER-MAN' Cody Hodgson starts shining in Buffalo and Kassian does his floating around between the 4th line, press box and Chicago, on a team with no quality centre's in the entire organization after Kesler and Sedin. Ebbett??? Schroeder???? LMAO. When that comes to light that shit is gonna really hit the fan for Gillis and folks will be going, "hmm, Gillis really is a shitty GM'

Unless Gillis accepts rental player, up coming UFA player Bozak, the poor mans Brenden Morrison, and the likes of a Franson, Luongo ain't going to Toronto.

Well Dude, I never said anything about Gardiner. I actually don't think a defenseman necessarily needs to be MG's priority in a return either. I would much prefer to see something at the center position.....something with some decent top 6 potential.

I also think that the Leafs have a lineup that should threaten for a playoff spot.....until you look at their goaltending. If they miss again it will almost certainly be due to their weak crease. The Leafs also have a half decent prospect pool, they have for the last few seasons, but honestly, look at them and you see that none of them are really developing. Generally speaking, teams that develop young players into servicable NHL'ers are teams that are successful in the regular season. Some of Detroit's amazing drafting is due in part to the fact that these later round picks are able to break into the NHL on a team that knows how to win. If Toronto continues to miss the playoffs these young players are going to be groomed into NHL players on a team with a losing morale. They won't develop nearly as quickly or confidently as they would on a team that can at least say they are getting to the post-season. When a young player makes a mistake on the ice and it ends up in the back of their own net with the frequency that it does in Toronto, they either end up hanging their head and playing tentative hockey for the next few games or they are shipped back to the Marlies thinking they still aren't good enough. Confidence is shot. Add a top goaltender who cuts the number of goals from turnovers in half and suddenly you have a team that can win a few more games, make the playoffs, get more experience under their belts, and young players are suddenly being mentored by guys that actually do know how to win and succeed. A guy like Lou can do that for them for the next few years at least. He's not a step backwards, and Nonis is well aware of it. Nonis also knows that he can't just open the cupboard and let Gillis (or any other GM for that matter) take whatever he pleases. So I don't think you are going to see Toronto offerring up Kadri, Gardiner, and more, for Luongo. But I do think that if Toronto is bottom feeding with an elevated goals against, then Nonis will make a move that surprises you.

I also will not be surprised to see a trade that sends someone like Raymond with Luongo.

dbr wrote:Except RoyalDude hated Cody Hodgson until it became necessary to sing the kid's praises for his trolling act.

Wasn't he a stumpy legged, undersized, spoiled brat?

For over 3 years he ragged on Gillis for drafting Hodgson.

And of course ragged on Hodgson.

Now he rags on Gillis for trading Hodgson.

And sings Hodgson's praises.

RoyalDude on Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:58 am wrote:In today's game, skating is huge. If you can't skate then you need size unfortunately for Cody he doesn't have size either. I'm hoping for Cody to succeed but I really have my doubts that he will mount to much, at best a 3rd liner.

RoyalDude on Sat Oct 01, 2011 8:50 am wrote:CoHo started out well at the beginning of these exhibition games, but he started to slowly slip back to his old stumpy legged self in the last couple of games. If Cody doesn't ebb the flow his current demise, he will be back home on the farm before you can click two heels together.

RoyalDude on Sun Oct 23, 2011 3:42 pm wrote:But the future is NOW for Hodgson. Everyone from his draft class have all turned into men and are starting to play regularly in the NHL, if he ain't ready now, he never will be.

Holy shite Doc are you getting old. Listen Mr. I have nothing better to do on a Friday night but go through the archives and bring up posts where Chef Boi RD slags Hodgson. Have I ever denied it? I have said it and I will say it again for you Mr. Selective memory with the the great venomous, antagonistic wit that you so proudly stick your chest out with - Yes, I had torn strips out of Hodgson left, right and centre, and yes, I was completely surprised by his turnaround after I had completely given up on him.

But who the fuck cares what I think, thought and think of him now, the bottom line is, your Lord and Savior Mike Gillis fucking dropped the ball and traded a good young, skillful centerman for a fucking 4th line enigmatic Dustin Penner slash Jim Sandlak.

Is the centre position a much coveted position Doc, or do you think we need players to fight Milan Lucic and Dustin Byfuglien instead?

The bottom line is, Mike is a good hockey executive, I will give him that, good on the back end stuff in managing a corporation but he couldn't build an ON ICE winner from scratch to save his ugly fucking ass. I can't wait til the great core players and two excellent goalies that previous management provided him on a silver platter have burned out here in Vancouver and there days are done, WHICH IS NEAR, I really can't wait to see all of you finally wake up and say, "shite, Mike Gillis is a shitty GM"

"I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? - Plastics." - The Graduate

RoyalDude wrote: I can't wait til the great core players and two excellent goalies that previous management provided him on a silver platter have burned out here in Vancouver and there days are done, WHICH IS NEAR, I really can't wait to see all of you finally wake up and say, "shite, Mike Gillis is a shitty GM"

Du-de! Your hatred for Gillis has now officially surpassed your support for the Canucks. Time for some counseling!